HR Jobs: What Employees and Employers Need to Know

Many people think they can do an HR specialist’s job. Over the years, HR personnel have not taken the time to clarify what their roles mean or what the tasks entail.

The result? Lots of speculation and misconceptions about the human resources field as a whole and about HR jobs specifically.

Still, human resources is an in-demand field, a staple in the work market. Whether they know it or not, companies need various HR functions and services.

So, what are the most common HR jobs in Egypt and the Middle East? What are these titles called? What do these roles entail?

Read on to find out.

HR myths and misconceptions

Let’s be fair that there are many misconceptions and myths about what HR does, should do, and whose side they’re on.

Here are a few of those HR myths:

HR is responsible for hiring and firing – only!

HR is only responsible for paying employees

HR is a nice-to-have function

HR only cares about the employer

HR is only meant to keep people happy

All HR roles are the same

You don’t need experience to work in HR

HR isn’t a career path

The 5 categories of HR jobs

Before we get into the hierarchy of human resources jobs, let’s first clarify a super important detail about HR jobs.

The human resources field is divided into 5 main categories. Each of those categories, surprisingly to many fresh HR graduates and employers, differs completely from the other.

Here are the 5 categories of HR jobs:

• Recruitment and selection (including talent management)
• Compensation and benefits
• Training and development
• Organization development (OD)
• People management

Naturally, the different categories mean different HR roles.

However, the many misconceptions surrounding HR, coupled with employers being unaware of their needs, has created a sizable overlap in titles and job requirements.

Hierarchy of HR jobs 

To understand HR jobs better, it’s important to look at the hierarchy of HR roles in the local Egyptian market, the Middle East, and the world.

First, there are several overarching jobs, such as:

• HR specialist (Junior and senior)
• HR coordinator
• HR assistant
• HR generalist (Junior and senior)

Managerial roles in HR also encompass all areas in the human resources field. An HR manager or director should have experience in and be familiar with all 5 HR categories.

In terms of hierarchy of HR managerial roles, the chief human resources officer (CHRO) would be at the top of a large organization. They would either have HR department heads reporting to them or an HR manager or HR director.

Here’s an overview of the hierarchy of HR jobs in Egypt and the Middle East. The list begins with what a fresh graduate would expect to apply for.

Most in-demand HR jobs in Egypt now

Now that we’ve clarified the hierarchy in jobs in the human resources field, let’s look at the most in-demand HR jobs in Egypt, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia.

In Egypt, HR roles are all over the place. Employers search for fresh graduates or juniors with up to 2 years of experience and expect them to do an HR manager’s role. Which isn’t feasible.

Unfortunately, and due to the many misconceptions and myths about HR, the field is rather messy in Egypt. However, we’ll try to narrow it down as much as we can.

Based on the hiring needs of our clients, these are the most in-demand HR jobs in Egypt right now:

• HR specialist
• HR generalist
• HR manager

Most in-demand HR jobs in the UAE

According to Bayut.com, 3 HR positions are among the most in-demand HR jobs in the UAE. These are:

• HR managers
• HR business partners
• Talent acquisition specialists

“If you specialize in compensation and benefits or [in] finding the right person for the right job [then] keep a lookout for job vacancies in Dubai,” the website adds.

What to consider when hiring an HR person

As you can see there’s lots at play when it comes to hiring someone in HR. Obviously, working in human resources doesn’t mean everyone does the same thing. However, there’s a lot of overlapping of roles and tasks.

Fresh graduates find this overlapping to be very confusing. At the same time, employers believe that anyone working in the HR field can perform all the duties they want – like magicians.

So, what are the important elements an employer needs to consider when hiring an HR employee? (Assuming they know which role they’re trying to fill)

These are the basic considerations:

• Previous experience if available
• Knowledge and skill in communicating in English (this affects an HR employee’s proposed salary)
• If they’re a sociable person
• If this HR executive has good sales and negotiation skills, especially if they are going to work in recruitment

Wrapping it up

When it comes to hiring people, whether in human resources or any other field, one wise quote comes to mind. It’s a statement employers, managers, and candidates should keep in mind.

“We’re designing jobs for superhumans, and it turns out our people are flesh and blood.” –Frances Frei and Anne Morriss, Uncommon Service: How to Win by Putting Customers at the Core of Your Business

Regardless of what many people think they know, regardless of the misconceptions, HR plays a vital role in any organization.

We understand that not all companies can afford to hire an HR person or an HR team full-time. However, creating a business structure that ensures balance between an organization’s needs and employees’ needs requires HR.

Specifically, a good HR strategy that ensures a clear hierarchy, compensation and benefits scheme and KPIs, and pay structure.

HR is responsible for following a recruitment process when hiring employees, helping companies conduct employee assessments, reduce turnover, and increase employee retention. At the same time, they should help employees deal with and avoid burnout.

In other words, there’s a LOT on an HR executive’s plate. So, if you need to hire an HR specialist or OD supervisor, you need to know what to look for.

Need help hiring HR people? Need help knowing which HR services you need and if you need an HR executive or HR company? Get in touch with Tawzef.